The Rockets’ forward Hugo Lusignan (8) battles for a loose puck as the Eagles’ goalie, Dawson Irving, makes a save during second period action. The Rockets were outgunned 7-2 in the game. Moore photo

OTTAWA—The North Dundas Rockets played a trio of games this past weekend as they travelled to Metcalfe on Friday night to take on the Jets, welcomed the West Carleton Inferno on Sunday afternoon and travelled to the NCJHL Showcase on Monday afternoon to take on the St. Isidore Eagles.

Eagles 7 Rockets 2 

The North Dundas Rockets travelled to the Bernard Grandmaître Arena in Ottawa for the NCJHL season-ending Showcase on Mon., Feb. 18, to take on the St. Isidore Eagles in the NCJHL. The Rockets sat one point ahead of the Eagles for home ice in the first round of the playoffs and with a win, they would secure that position. 

The teams battled to a scoreless first period taking donuts into the dressing room for the first intermission. The Eagles opened the scoring just 35 into the second period taking a 1-0 lead. The Eagles made it 2-0 at 6:33 and 3-0 at 16:29 and took that lead into the second intermission. 

The Rockets ran into penalty trouble in the third period and the Eagles took advantage scoring a power play goal just 1:05 into the third period. The Rockets finally got on the scoreboard as Dylan Robinson slid one home from Brodie Barkley and Tom Fingler at 5:55. 

The Rockets ran into penalty trouble again and the Eagles made them pay, scoring three goals less than one minute in at 12:02, 12:07 and 12:58; all on the power play. The Rockets closed out the scoring as Jack Van Kessel snapped one stick-side from Robinson with just 1:27 remaining but it was too little too late as the Eagles routed the Rockets 7-2. 

With the win, the Rockets lose home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs but still have a game left to play. Suffering the loss in the Rockets’ goal was Reilly Tondreau.

Most Improved Player
The North Dundas Rockets’ star forward, Justin Lefebvre was selected by all NCJHL teams as the 2018-19 Most Improved Player at the NCJHL Showcase in Ottawa on Mon., Feb. 18. Presenting the award was the NCJHL vice president, Hubert Seguin and the president and GM of the Bytown Royals who played host to the showcase. Moore photo

Rockets 7 Inferno 1

The North Dundas Rockets welcomed the West Carleton Inferno to the Chesterville Arena on Sun., Feb. 17, in the NCJHL. The Rockets were coming off a 5-3 win over the Metcalfe Jets in their previous game to move to within three points of the South Grenville Rangers but the Rangers won their game the night before to clinch the East Division. 

The Rockets now had to focus their attention to the St. Isidore Eagles of the West Division who sat one point ahead of the Rockets for the fourth seed in the playoffs. The Rockets opened the scoring at 10:22 of the first period, as Brodie Barkley plowed one home from Carter Tait taking a 1-0 lead. 

The Inferno tied the game at 13:56 but the Rockets responded at 17:29 as Hugo Lusignan snapped one home from Will Watson. The Rockets took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. 

The Rockets made it 3-1 when Lusignan scored his second of the game at 14:31 of the second period from Cameron Brown and Zach Parent. The Rockets gained a three-goal advantage with just 33 seconds remaining in the middle frame, as McKay Balaton blasted one home from Lusignan and Jack Van Kessel. 

The Rockets took a 4-1 lead into the second intermission. The Rockets made it 5-1 as Watson slipped one home from Van Kessel and goalie, Reilly Tondreau just 11 seconds into the third period. The Rockets continued the assault as Balaton scored his second of the game from Van Kessel and Watson on the power play at 5:31. 

Balaton completed his hat trick with 2:20 remaining in the game from Brad Nash and Barkely to give the Rockets a 7-1 victory. With the win, the Rockets moved one point ahead of the Eagles for home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. 

The Rockets outshot the Inferno 66-12. Picking up the win in the Rockets’ goal was Tondreau making 11 saves.

The North Dundas Rockets travelled to the Larry Robinson Arena in Metcalfe on Fri., Feb. 15, to take on the Jets in the NCJHL. The Rockets’ captain, Brad Stitt (16) gets in the Jets’ goalie, Tyler Desjardins’ kitchen during the second period. The Rockets’ Justin Lefebvre hoped the puck would come his way and the Jets’ Kirkland Reaney helps out his tender. Stitt and the Rockets took the game 5-3. Moore photo

Rockets 5 Jets 3

The North Dundas Rockets travelled to the Larry Robinson Arena in Metcalfe on Fri., Feb. 15, to take on the Jets in the NCJHL. The Rockets went into the game in second place in the West Division and had a chance to move to within three points of the first place South Grenville Rangers. 

The Rockets also needed a win to keep pace with the St. Isidore Eagles in the East Division; who were one point ahead of the Rockets for home ice advantage in the playoffs. The Rockets opened the scoring at 10:13 of the first period as Brad Nash slapped one home from Hugo Lusignan while shorthanded. 

The Rockets took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. The Rockets made it 2-0 when Justin Lefebvre blasted one home from the top of the left circle at 4:03 of the second period from Brodie Barkley and Brad Stitt on the power play. 

The Rockets took a three-goal lead when Tom Fingler scored on a breakaway while shorthanded at 13:45 from Kyle Colette and McKay Balaton. The Rockets went up by four as Will Watson tapped one home from Jack Van Kessel and Lefebvre at 14:39. 

With time winding down in the middle frame, the Jets caught the Rockets sleeping as Devon Upton scored from Mark Morrison and Tristan Staff with just 1:08 showing on the clock in the second. The Rockets took a 4-1 lead into the second intermission. 

The Jets got to within two as Tyler Boyd scored from Tyler Melvin at 10:29. The Jets made it a one-goal game as James Horvath scored from Morrison and Boyd at 15:20 on the power play. With just under a minute remaining in regulation, the Jets pulled their goalie in favour of an extra attacker but after a face-off loss, the Rockets’ Fingler blocked a shot from the point and sprung himself on a breakaway on an empty cage and he made no mistake with just six seconds showing on the clock. 

The Rockets took the game 5-3 moving to within three points of the Rangers in first place but failed to gain ground on the Eagles for home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Picking up the win in the Rockets’ goal was Reilly Tondreau.

Up next

The Rockets will play host to the St. Isidore Eagles this upcoming weekend. Please check the Record’s website at www.www.therecordnews.ca.